Hard cheese like cheddar, Swiss and block Parmesan keeps about 6 months unopened and 3–4 weeks after opening. Shredded cheese keeps about 1 month. Soft cheese like Brie or goat cheese keeps 1–2 weeks, and cottage cheese and ricotta 2 weeks unopened, 1 week once opened. Those are USDA FoodKeeper times at 40°F (4°C), counted from the day you buy it.
Mold on a block of hard cheese can be cut away, with at least 1 inch around and below it. Mold on soft, shredded, sliced or crumbled cheese means the whole package goes.
Storage Facts
Cheese, refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or below
- Hard cheese, unopened, from purchase
- 6 months
- Hard cheese, after opening
- 3–4 weeks
- Hard cheese, freezer
- 6 months
- Shredded cheddar or mozzarella, from purchase
- 1 month
- Grated Parmesan, from purchase
- 12 months
- Processed slices, from purchase
- 3–4 weeks
- Soft cheese (Brie, goat), from purchase
- 1–2 weeks
- Cottage cheese or ricotta, after opening
- 1 week
Every cheese in USDA's FoodKeeper data
| Cheese | Refrigerator, from purchase | Refrigerator, after opening | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheese, hard such as cheddar, swiss, block parmesan | 6 months | 3–4 weeks | 6 months |
| Cheese, shredded; cheddar, mozzarella, etc. | 1 month | – | 3–4 months |
| Cheese, parmesan; shredded or grated | 12 months | – | Not recommended |
| Cheese, processed slices | 3–4 weeks | – | Not recommended |
| Cheese, soft such as brie, bel paese, goat | 1–2 weeks | – | 6 months |
| Cottage cheese | 2 weeks | 1 week | Not recommended |
| Ricotta | 2 weeks | 1 week | Not recommended |
| Cream cheese | 2 weeks | – | Not recommended |
Two sources disagree at the edges. Ask USDA, the agency's question service, puts soft cheeses such as cottage cheese, ricotta and Brie at 1 week, shorter than FoodKeeper's 1–2 weeks, and processed cheese slices at 1–2 months, longer than FoodKeeper's 3–4 weeks. For hard cheese the two agree: 6 months unopened, 3–4 weeks opened. When they differ, use the shorter time.
Why moisture decides almost everything
Hard, aged cheeses are dense and dry, and FSIS says mold generally can't penetrate deep into them. Soft cheeses are the opposite, and USDA's mold guidance says so directly: in high-moisture foods, contamination can spread below the surface where you can't see it. Shredded and sliced cheese have a second problem, which is surface area. More cut surface means more places for mold to land, and FSIS notes that shredded, sliced or crumbled cheese can be contaminated by the cutting tool itself.
The mold rule, by cheese
| Cheese | If it grows mold | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hard and semi-hard (cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, Romano) | Cut off at least 1 inch around and below the spot, keeping the knife out of the mold. Rewrap in fresh wrap. | Mold generally can't penetrate deep into the cheese. |
| Hard cheese made with mold (Gorgonzola, Stilton) | Treat surface mold like hard cheese: cut 1 inch around and below. | The blue veins are intended; other mold isn't. |
| Soft cheese made with mold (Brie, Camembert) | Discard if mold appears that isn't part of the cheese. | Molds that aren't part of the process can be dangerous. |
| Soft cheese (cottage, cream cheese, Neufchâtel, chèvre, Bel Paese) | Discard the whole container. | Contamination can reach below the surface; bacteria can grow alongside the mold. |
| Shredded, sliced or crumbled (any type) | Discard the whole package. | The cutting tool can spread contamination. |
One more caution from USDA: don't sniff a moldy item, since that can cause respiratory trouble. And don't taste cheese to decide whether it's still good. When in doubt, throw it out.
Opened a block of cheddar? Its 3–4 week clock is far shorter than the date printed on it. Scan the package in FreshScan, then edit the date to your opened-by day, and you'll get a reminder two days before.
Free on theApp StoreWhat the date on cheese means
Cheese dates are set by the maker and are usually best-by or sell-by dates, which USDA describes as quality and inventory dates, not safety cutoffs. For hard cheese, FoodKeeper's months-long window often outlasts the printed date if the package is sealed and cold. For soft and fresh cheeses, treat the printed date and the opened times above as real limits. More on the phrase: what best-by means.
Freezing cheese
- Hard and semi-hard cheese freezes for about 6 months. The National Center for Home Food Preservation says it may become crumbly and mealy but keeps its flavor, so use it for cooking. Freeze it in pieces of a pound or less, wrapped airtight.
- Shredded cheese freezes for 3–4 months in FoodKeeper's data.
- FoodKeeper doesn't recommend freezing processed slices or refrigerated grated Parmesan. Cottage cheese, ricotta and cream cheese don't freeze well either, though NCHFP notes cream cheese can be frozen for use in dips or cooking.
- Thaw frozen cheese in the refrigerator.
See the shelf life chart for more dairy, or count out an opened-by date with the food expiration calculator.
Questions people ask
How long is cheddar good after the expiration date?
An unopened block of hard cheese like cheddar keeps about 6 months in the fridge from purchase, per USDA, so a date on the package is usually a quality date with room after it. Once opened, use it within 3 to 4 weeks. Small spots of mold can be cut away with at least an inch of margin.
Can you cut mold off cheese?
Only off hard cheese, such as cheddar, Swiss or Parmesan. USDA says to cut off at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot, keeping the knife out of the mold, then rewrap the cheese in fresh wrap. Throw out soft cheeses like cottage cheese, cream cheese and ricotta, and any shredded, sliced or crumbled cheese, if they show mold.
Is blue cheese mold safe?
The blue or green veins in blue cheese, Gorgonzola and Stilton, and the white rind on Brie and Camembert, are molds added during cheesemaking and are meant to be eaten. Other mold that grows on them is not. USDA says to discard soft mold-ripened cheeses like Brie with foreign mold, and to cut mold from hard ones like Stilton with an inch of margin.
Does cheese last longer in the freezer?
Yes, for hard and semi-hard cheese: about 6 months. It will be more crumbly after thawing, so use it for cooking. Cottage cheese, ricotta, cream cheese and processed slices don't freeze well.
Sources
- FSIS FoodKeeper Data — USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (data.gov, public domain)
- How long can you keep dairy products like yogurt, milk, and cheese in the refrigerator? — Ask USDA (USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service)
- Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous? — USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. The FSIS handling chart is reproduced in WSU Extension's Molds on Food handout: https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2057/2021/03/Molds-on-Food-LC.pdf
- Listeria: Prevention — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Freezing Cheese — National Center for Home Food Preservation, University of Georgia
- Food Freezing Basics: Freezing Dairy Products, Eggs and Other Foods — NDSU Extension
- Food Product Dating — USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service